‘I never saw Trump behave improperly’, says Maxwell

Justice department releases Ghislaine Maxwell interview

- KATIE HAWKINSON IN WASHINGTON DC

Ghislaine Maxwell said she never saw Donald Trump behave inappropriately around anyone in Jeffrey Epstein's circle, a transcript of her interview with deputy attorney general Todd Blanche has revealed.

Mr Blanche interviewed Maxwell - a former longtime associate of Epstein - last month over two days in Tallahassee, Florida. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in helping Epstein recruit, groom and abuse young girls. About a week after the interview, the 63-year-old British socialite was moved to a minimum-security prison camp in Bryan, Texas.

Mr Blanche sat down with Maxwell as the Trump administration attempted to quell backlash from Republicans and Democrats alike over its handling of the Epstein investigation.

In the wide-ranging interview, Maxwell responded to questions about several famous people with alleged connections to Epstein, including Mr Trump, former President Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew.

Maxwell told Mr Blanche she never witnessed Mr Trump, who was once friends with Epstein, doing anything “inappropriate”.

“I actually never saw the president in any type of massage setting,” Maxwell said, according to the transcripts. “I never witnessed the president in any inappropriate setting in any way. The president was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times that I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects.”

In the interview:

• Maxwell said she “absolutely never” saw Trump behaving inappropriately with anyone in Epstein's circle.

• She does not believe Epstein died by suicide in his jail cell in New York in August 2019 - but said she had no idea who might have been responsible.

• There is “no list” of Epstein’s clients or famous associates, Maxwell claims.

• Maxwell said she does not believe she ever recruited a masseuse from Trump’s Mara-Lago estate.